The Ship of Fools, Volume 1

by Sebastian Brant

Of folysshe Fesycyans and vnlerned that onely folowe paractyke knowynge nought of the speculacyon of theyr faculte.

Who that assayeth the craft of medycyne
Agaynst the seke and paynfull pacyent
And hath no insyght cunnynge nor doctryne
To gyue the seke, helth and amendement
Suche is a fole, and of a mad intent
To take on hym by Phesyke any cure
Nat knowynge of man, nor herbe the right nature

Yet be mo folys vpon the grounde and londe

Whiche in our Shyp may clayme a rowme and place

Suche be Phesycians that no thynge vnderstonde

Wandrynge about in euery towne and place

Uysytynge the seke whiche lyue in heuy case

But nought they relefe of those paynes harde

But gape alway after some great rewarde

Suche that haue practyse and nought of speculatyfe

Whan they go vysyte some paynfull pacyent

Whan they hym note sure to forgo his lyfe

Without all hope of any amendement

Yet say they other than is in theyr intent

That his diseas is no thynge incurable

So that the pacyent to hym be agreable

Sayth the Phesycyan whan he hath his rewarde

Abyde a whyle tyll I my bokes ouer se

Wherby I may relyue thy paynes harde

Than from the pacyent homewarde departyth he

To se his bokes but if the pacyent dye

In that meane space the medycyne is to late

So may he lay it to his owne folysshe pate

The speculacion sholde he before haue sene

For that in Phesyke is chefe and pryncypall,

Yet many ar that vse the craft I wene

Whiche of the cunnynge knowe lytell or nought at all

A herbe or wede that groweth vpon a wall

Beryth in it these folys medycyne.

None other bokes haue they nor doctryne

Nor none they rede to haue the true scyence

Or perfyte knowlege and grounde of medycyne

They rede no volumes of the experyence

Of Podalirius nor Mesues doctryne

Suche folys disdayne theyr myndes to enclyne

Unto the doctryne of bokes of Auycen

Of ypocras and parfyte galyen

But all the substance of theyr blynde faculte

They take in bokes that speke of herbes only

Without respect had to theyr properte

Or operacion so often they them aply

To fals doctrynes, but first and specyally

These olde wyues therwith wyll haue to do

Thoughe they nought knowe that doth belonge therto

They dare be bolde to take on them the cure

Of them diseasyd howe be it that they nat can

Suche thynge descerne as longyth to nature

What is for woman good, and what for man

So oft they ende moche wors than they began

That the pore pacyent is so brought to his graue

Yet dyuers suters suche folysshe wytches haue

Suche wytches boldly dare afferme and say

That with one herbe they hele can euery sore

Under euery syne plenete, houre and day

Yet besyde this they boldly dare say more

That it that helyth a man aged and hore

Shall helpe also a woman or a childe

Thus many thousandes oft ar by them begyled

They say also in this our charge or cure

What nedes it note the synes or fyrmament

The cause of thynges, or the strength of nature

Whether that the seke be stronge or impotent

They gyue one medesyn to euery pacyent

And if it fortune it be to colde or warme

The faythles wytche in hande goth with hir scharme

Say folysshe Surgyan by what experyence

Or whose Doctryne discyplyne or lore

Takest thou on the, nought knowynge of scyence

With one Salue or plaster, to heale euery sore

Yet so thou thynkest, I the compare therfore

Unto a lawyer that of his craft nought can

And yet presumeth to counsell euery man

A lawer and a Phesician ar both lyke

Of theyr condicion and both insue one trayne

The one begylyth the pacyent and seke

Takynge his god for to encreas his payne

The other labours and cauteles oft doth fayne

To clawe the coyne by craft from his clyent

Castynge hym of whan all his good is spent

Thus thryues the lawer by anothers good

Iniustly gotten, disceyuynge his clyent

Also some other ar callyd Phesicians good

Whiche vtterly disceyue the pacyent

If he haue money than hath he his intent

And if the seke haue store ynough to pay

Than shall the cure be dryuen from day to day

So if the lawer may any auauntage wyn

He shall the cause from terme to terme defarre

The playntyf for a player is holde in.

With the defendaunt kepynge open warre

So laweyers and Phesicians thousandes do marre

And whan they no more can of theyr suers haue

The playntyf beggyth, the seke is borne to graue

But of these lawyers bycause I spoke before

Of folysshe Phesicians here onely I intende.

Somwhat to say: And of lawers no more

On you Phesicians shall I conclude and ende

I say no man may hym so well defende

That he for murder may auoyde punysshement

Yet may Phesicians, sleynge the pacient

Thus thou that of Phesycian hast the name

If thou nought knowe of perfyte medycyne

It is forsoth to thy rebuke and shame

To boste the scyence: nat hauynge the doctryne

Therfore I counsell that thou thy mynde inclyne

To haue the cunnynge, els certaynly thou shall

Haue thy blynde craft and lyue a fole with all.

The enuoy of the traslatour.

Thou blynde Phesician that of thy craft nought can

Leue of thy lewdnes and bolde audacyte

To take on the: the cure of chylde or man

For by thy foly the wors myght they be

And ye that suerly perceyue your faculte

Be true therin, and auaryce from you cast

Shame is to brynge a man to pouertye

And than in paynes to leue hym at the last

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